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Grenville Mellen
by George J. Dance Grenville Mellen (June 19, 1799 - September 5, 1841) was an American poet and lawyer. Life Mellen was born in Biddeford, Maine, the 3rd son of U.S. Senator (and later Chief Justice) Prentiss Mellen. He was educated at Harvard College, where he was class poet for his 1818 graduation class.Grenville Mellen, Strangers to Us All: Lawyers and poetry, College of Law, West Virginia University. Web, Aug. 17, 2016. After graduating Mellen clerked at his father's law office in Portland. In 1823 he began his own law practice in North Yarmouth, Maine. He married, and the couple had one child; but his wife died in October 1828, and his child the following spring.Rufus Wilmot Griswold, "Grenville Mellen," Poets and Poetry of America, 1842, 218. English Poetry, 1579-1830, Center for Applied Technologies in the Humanities, Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University. Web, Aug. 17, 2016. After his daughter' death Mellen moved to Boston, where he lived for about 5 years. He then returned to Maine, where he worked for a short while as editor of the Portland Advertiser. He then moved to New York, where he lived the remainder of his life. He wrote for the literary magazines, and in 1839 establiehed his own short-lived journal, the Monthly Miscellany. In his last years he suffered from consumption, and in 1840 moved to Cuba for his health; but learning of his father's death, he returned to New York in spring 1841, and died there the following September. Writing Samuel Kettell: "He is a writer of fertile imagination, and is peculiarly happy in the expression of tender and delicate sentiment. His writings manifest that he possesses learning as well as genuine talent, and were he to take a higher aim and form more exalted notions of his art, we venture to assure him that he might win a permanent fame."Samuel Kettell, Notes, "Dream of the Sea," Specimens of American Poetry, Boston: Goodrich, 1829. Bartleby.com, Web, Aug. 17, 2016. Rufus Wilmot Griswold: "As a poet, he enjoyed a higher reputation in his lifetime than his works will preserve. They are without vigour of thought or language, and are often dreamy, mystic, and unintelligible. In his writings there is no evidence of creative genius; no original, clear, and manly thought; no spirited and natural descriptions of life or nature; no humour, no pathos, no passion; nothing that appeals to the common sympathies of mankind. The little poem entitled 'The Bugle,' although 'it whispers whence it stole its spoils,' is probably superior to any thing else he wrote. It is free from the affectations and unmeaning epithets which distinguish nearly all his works." Publications Poetry *''Ode for the Celebration of the Battle of Bunker Hill''. Boston: Cummings, Hilliard, 1825. *''The Rest of the Nations: A poem''. Portland, ME: printed by Hill, Edwards, 1826. *''Our Chronicle of Twenty-six: A satirical poem. Boston: Wells & Lilly, 1827. *''The Light of Letters: An anniversary poem. 1828.Grenville Mellen (1799-1841), English Poetry, 1579-1830, Center for Applied Technologies in the Humanities, Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University. Web, Aug. 17, 2016. *''The Age of Print: A poem. Boston: Carter & Hendee, 1830. *''Ode. Portland, ME: Shirley, Hyde, 1830. *''The Martyr's Triumph, Buried Valley, and other poems. Boston: Lilly, Wait, Colman, & Holden, 1833. *Songs for the Whig Celebration, July 4, 1834'' (by Grenville Mellen, Isaac McLellan, & George Lunt). Boston: printed by J.H. Eastburn, 1834. *''The Passions: A poem. Boston: Marsh, Capen, & Lyon, 1836. *Poem: Pronounced at New Haven. New Haven, CT: printed by B.L. Hamlen, 1839. *''Poem: Pronounced before the literary societies in Amherst College. Amherst, MA: J.S. & C. Adams, 1839.. Short fiction *''Sad Tales and Glad Tales''. Boston: S.G. Goodrich, 1828. Non-fiction *''An Address Delivered before the Maine Charitable Mechanic Association''. Portland, Me: Printed at the Argus Office by T. Todd & Co., 1821. *''Address, Delivered before the Citizens of North-Yarmouth: On the anniversary of American independence, July 4, 1825. Portland, ME: printed by D. & S. Paine, 1825. *A Book of the United States: Exhibiting its geography, divisions, constitution, and government; together with a condensed history of the land. New York: W.W. Reed, 1835. ''Except where noted, bibliographical information courtesy WorldCat.Search results = au:Grenville Mellen, WorldCat, OCLC Online Computer Library Center Inc. Web, Aug. 17, 2016. See also *List of U.S. poets References External links ;Poems *"The Lonely Bugle" *Mount Washington, the loftiest Peak of the White Mountains, N.H." *Mellen in Specimens of American Poetry: "Dream of the Sea," "Mount Washington," "The Air Voyage" ;About *Grenville Mellen at Strangers to Us All: Lawyers and poetry *Grenville Mellen (1799-1841) at English Poetry, 1579-1830 Category:1799 births Category:1841 deaths Category:19th-century poets Category:American lawyers Category:American poets Category:English-language poets Category:People from Biddeford, Maine Category:Poets